English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
| 1 | Perchance six thousand miles remote from us |
| 2 | Is glowing the sixth hour, and now this world |
| 3 | Inclines its shadow almost to a level, |
| 4 | When the mid-heaven begins to make itself |
| 5 | So deep to us, that here and there a star |
| 6 | Ceases to shine so far down as this depth, |
| 7 | And as advances bright exceedingly |
| 8 | The handmaid of the sun, the heaven is closed |
| 9 | Light after light to the most beautiful; |
| 10 | Not otherwise the Triumph, which for ever |
| 11 | Plays round about the point that vanquished me, |
| 12 | Seeming enclosed by what itself encloses, |
| 13 | Little by little from my vision faded; |
| 14 | Whereat to turn mine eyes on Beatrice |
| 15 | My seeing nothing and my love constrained me. |
| 16 | If what has hitherto been said of her |
| 17 | Were all concluded in a single praise, |
| 18 | Scant would it be to serve the present turn. |
| 19 | Not only does the beauty I beheld |
| 20 | Transcend ourselves, but truly I believe |
| 21 | Its Maker only may enjoy it all. |
| 22 | Vanquished do I confess me by this passage |
| 23 | More than by problem of his theme was ever |
| 24 | O’ercome the comic or the tragic poet; |
| 25 | For as the sun the sight that trembles most, |
| 26 | Even so the memory of that sweet smile |
| 27 | My mind depriveth of its very self |
| 28 | From the first day that I beheld her face |
| 29 | In this life, to the moment of this look, |
| 30 | The sequence of my song has ne’er been severed; |
| 31 | But now perforce this sequence must desist |
| 32 | From following her beauty with my verse, |
| 33 | As every artist at his uttermost. |
| 34 | Such as I leave her to a greater fame |
| 35 | Than any of my trumpet, which is bringing |
| 36 | Its arduous matter to a final close, |
| 37 | With voice and gesture of a perfect leader |
| 38 | She recommenced: We from the greatest body |
| 39 | Have issued to the heaven that is pure light; |
| 40 | Light intellectual replete with love, |
| 41 | Love of true good replete with ecstasy, |
| 42 | Ecstasy that transcendeth every sweetness. |
| 43 | Here shalt thou see the one host and the other |
| 44 | Of Paradise, and one in the same aspects |
| 45 | Which at the final judgment thou shalt see. |
| 46 | Even as a sudden lightning that disperses |
| 47 | The visual spirits, so that it deprives |
| 48 | The eye of impress from the strongest objects |
| 49 | Thus round about me flashed a living light, |
| 50 | And left me swathed around with such a veil |
| 51 | Of its effulgence, that I nothing saw. |
| 52 | Ever the Love which quieteth this heaven |
| 53 | Welcomes into itself with such salute, |
| 54 | To make the candle ready for its flame. |
| 55 | No sooner had within me these brief words |
| 56 | An entrance found, than I perceived myself |
| 57 | To be uplifted over my own power, |
| 58 | And I with vision new rekindled me, |
| 59 | Such that no light whatever is so pure |
| 60 | But that mine eyes were fortified against it. |
| 61 | And light I saw in fashion of a river |
| 62 | Fulvid with its effulgence, ‘twixt two banks |
| 63 | Depicted with an admirable Spring. |
| 64 | Out of this river issued living sparks, |
| 65 | And on all sides sank down into the flowers, |
| 66 | Like unto rubies that are set in gold; |
| 67 | And then, as if inebriate with the odours, |
| 68 | They plunged again into the wondrous torrent, |
| 69 | And as one entered issued forth another. |
| 70 | The high desire, that now inflames and moves thee |
| 71 | To have intelligence of what thou seest, |
| 72 | Pleaseth me all the more, the more it swells. |
| 73 | But of this water it behoves thee drink |
| 74 | Before so great a thirst in thee be slaked. |
| 75 | Thus said to me the sunshine of mine eyes; |
| 76 | And added: The river and the topazes |
| 77 | Going in and out, and the laughing of the he. |
| 78 | Are of their truth foreshadowing prefaces; |
| 79 | Not that these things are difficult in themselves, |
| 80 | But the deficiency is on thy side, |
| 81 | For yet thou hast not vision so exalted. |
| 82 | There is no babe that leaps so suddenly |
| 83 | With face towards the milk, if he awake |
| 84 | Much later than his usual custom is, |
| 85 | As I did, that I might make better mirrors |
| 86 | Still of mine eyes, down stooping to the wave |
| 87 | Which flows that we therein be better made. |
| 88 | And the Aenas the penthouse of mine eyelids |
| 89 | Drank of it, it forthwith appeared to me |
| 90 | Out of its length to be transformed to round. |
| 91 | Then as a folk who have been under masks |
| 92 | Seem other than before, if they divest |
| 93 | T he semblance not their own they disappeared in, |
| 94 | Thus into greater pomp were changed for me |
| 95 | The flowerets and the sparks, so that I saw |
| 96 | Both of the Courts of Heaven made manifest. |
| 97 | O splendour of God ! by means of which I saw |
| 98 | The lofty triumph of the realm veracious, |
| 99 | Give me the power to say how it I saw! |
| 100 | There is a light above, which visible |
| 101 | Makes the Creator unto every creature, |
| 102 | ho only in beholding Him has peace, |
| 103 | And it expands itself in circular form |
| 104 | To such extent, that its circumference |
| 105 | Would be too large a girdle for the sun. |
| 106 | The semblance of it is all made of rays |
| 107 | Reflected from the top of Primal Motion, |
| 108 | Which takes therefrom vitality and power |
| 109 | And as a hill in water at its base |
| 110 | Mirrors itself, as if to see its beauty |
| 111 | When affluent most in verdure and in flowers, |
| 112 | So, ranged aloft all round about the light, |
| 113 | Mirrored I saw in more ranks than a thousand |
| 114 | All who above there have from us returned |
| 115 | And if the lowest row collect within it |
| 116 | So great a light, how vast the amplitude |
| 117 | Is of this Rose in its extremest leaves! |
| 118 | My vision in the vastness and the height |
| 119 | Lost not itself, but comprehended all |
| 120 | The quantity and quality of that gladness. |
| 121 | There near and far nor ad.d nor take away; |
| 122 | For there where God immediately doth govern, |
| 123 | The natural law in naught is relevant. |
| 124 | Into the yellow of the Rose Eternal |
| 125 | That spreads, and multiplies, and breathes an odour |
| 126 | Of praise unto the ever-vernal Sun |
| 127 | As one who silent is and fain would speak, |
| 128 | Me Beatrice drew on, and said: Behold |
| 129 | Of the white stoles how vast the convent is! |
| 130 | Behold how vast the circuit of our city! |
| 131 | Behold our seats so filled to overflowing, |
| 132 | That here henceforward are few people wanting! |
| 133 | On that great throne whereon thine eyes are fixed |
| 134 | For the crown’s sake already placed upon it, |
| 135 | Before thou suppest at this wedding feast |
| 136 | Shall sit the soul (that is to be Augustus |
| 137 | On earth) of noble Henry, who shall come |
| 138 | To redress Italy ere she be ready. |
| 139 | Blind covetousness, that casts its spell upon you, |
| 140 | Has made you like unto the little child, |
| 141 | Who dies of hunger and drives off the nurse. |
| 142 | And in the sacred forum then shall be |
| 143 | A Prefect such, that openly or covert |
| 144 | On the same road he will not walk with him. |
| 145 | But long of God he will not be endured |
| 146 | In holy office; he shall be thrust down |
| 147 | Where Simon Magus is for his deserts, |
| 148 | And make him of Alagna lower go! |